Table and easel combination



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TABLE AND EASEL (jOIVIBINA' I'ION Leslie L. Westcamp, Fair oaks, Calif 4 Original application January 29, 1949, Serial No.

73,596, now Patent No. 2,607,646, dated August r '19, 1952. Divided and this application June 6, r 1952, SerialNo.292,053 3 3 Claims. (01. 311 3 8) 1 This invention relates to an article of furniture, particularly designed, but not limited, for childrens. use ;-..thisv applicationbeinga division ofmy application Serial bio-73,596, filed January 29, 1949, now Patent No.'2',607,646, dated August 19, 1952. Y

The principal object of this invention is to provide a modified table and easel structure over what is shown in said patent, particularly with respect to the specific means to adjustably mount the table on its support for movement between table and easel forming positions, and which means requires the use of a single catch only.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a combination table and drawing easel which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable combined table and drawing easel, and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the panel arranged for use as a table, with the supporting frame partly broken away, and with the easel position of the panel shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the panel, detached and with the supporting leg partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the panel, detached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the combined table and easel structure comprises an upstanding rigid supporting unit I which includes front and rear corner legs 2 and 3 respectively; the front legs being connected at the top by a transverse round bar 4, while the rear legs are similarly connected by a transverse bar 5. Bars 4 and 5 are in turn connected by longitudinal stay bars 6.

A rigid rectangular panel I, preferably of Masonite or the like, is disposed above the supporting unit I for adjustable mounting thereon in position to serve as a table or at an upward slope as an easel.

Such mounting means comprises cross cleats 8 and 9 on the underside of the panel. These cleats are spaced apart the same as the spacing of top bars 4 and 5 and are longitudinally grooved on their forward side, as at In and I I, on a radius the same as that of said bars and adjacent the upper face of the cleats so that said grooves will fit about the bars 4 and 5 when panel I is resting on said bars.

Cleat 8, at the front and bottom is cut on the diagonal, as shown at I2, and a'centrally pivoted turn catch I3 is mounted on the diagonal portion; the latter being disposed relative to the position occupied by bar 4 when the panel is in place on the supporting unit I so that the catch when turned at right angles to the cleat will closely overlap the lower forward portion of the bar 4, as shownin Fig. 1.

When the panel I is mounted on the top bars 4and 5, therefore, with grooves I0 and I I engag ing said top bars, and with the catch I3 engaged with bar 4, the panel is held against either forward or rearward movement. At'the same time, the panel cannot be lifted up relative to the supporting unit either at the front or the back because of the opposed bar engaging cleat and catch surfaces at the front, and the bar engaging cleat groove II at the back, which can only clear bar 5 if free to move back from said bar.

To adjust the panel to an inclined position so that it may serve as an easel, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the catch I3 is turned temporarily to a bar clearing or release position, which enables panel I to be slid rearwardly on bars 4 and 5 sufiicient to clear the rear cleat 9 from engagement with rear bar 5, so that the panel may be lifted at its rear end.

With such lifting or tilting of the panel, the same turns on the forward bar 4 as a'fulcrum, and at the same time slides back so that groove I D of cleat 8 re-engages the bar 4, whereupon the catch I3 is turned to a bar engaging position, so that said bar, cleat and catch form a hinge about which the panel may swing up.

To hold the panel swung up at a suitable easelforming angle, a supporting leg I4 is mounted on the rear cleat 9. This leg is substantially Y- shaped in plan, with its open end straddling and pivoted in the ends of cleat 9 below groove II, as

at I5. At its opposite end, the leg I4 is formed with a spring hook I6 which releasably engages over bar 5 when the panel has been swung up to the predetermined desired angle and the leg is swung down, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

When not in use, leg I4 may be swung under the panel, and held up by a clip I'I; it being, of course, necessary to disengage the leg from the clip and lower the same to a position clear of bar 5, as shown at A in Fig. 1, in order to clear said leg from interference from bar 5 as the panel is swung up.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired.

1. A combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding support having spaced, parallel top bars, a flat, rigid panel above the support, cross cleats secured on the under side of the panel in position to engage lengthwise alongside corresponding top bars, one cross cleat engaging the inner side of one top bar and the other cross cleat engaging the outer side of the other top bar, each cross cleat having a longitudinal groove in which the corresponding top bar engages, and a turn-catch on said one cross cleat releasably intersecting said one top bar in holding relation.

2. In a combined table and easel", an upstanding support having parallel front and back top bars, a table and easel forming panel above the bars, front and back cross cleats on the underside of the panel spaced the same as the bars, the forward faces of the cleats having longitudinal grooves to engage over the rear sideof the bars, and a turn-catch on the front cleatto releasably engage the front bar inholding and relatively turnable relation and when engaged with said bar preventing rearwardsliding movement of the 4- panel transversely of the cross bars; there being a leg swingably supported from the panel for engagement with the rear bar when the panel is swung up to an inclined position about the front bar as a fulcrum.

3. In a combined table and easel, an upstanding support having parallet front and back top bars, a table and easel-forming panel above the bars, front and back cross cleats on the underside of the panel spaced the same as the bars, the forward faces; of the cleats having longitudinal grooves to engage over the rear side of the bars, a turn-catch on the front cleat to releasably engage, the front bar in holding and relatively turnable, relation, and a leg having a hook to releasably engage the rear bar, said leg being pivoted on the rear cleat at. a point relative to the groove therein such that the leg may be moved to a folded position under the panel below the rear cross bar.

' LESLIE L. WESTCAMP;

References Cited-J in the, file: of; this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 231,252; Atkinson.\ Aug. 17 1880 3523716; Slack M .Nov.l16,,1886

1,057,95 Hallock lApr. 1,, 1913 1 231894 Cox 1Dec..1-f7-,. 1918 15833974 Kusterle-. Oct. 25,1932 2,500,542; Green-1 Mar. 14,v 1950 2,607,646; Westcampl ,Aug.. 19, 1952 

